The Kidney Failure

GLOSSARY

U.S. Department
of Health and
Human Services
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

National Kidney and Urologic Diseases

Information Clearinghouse

i
i

The Kidney Failure

GLOSSARY
Some terms listed have many meanings; only those meanings
that relate to kidney failure and its treatments are included.
Words that appear in bold italic are listed elsewhere in the
dictionary.
Information in this dictionary is not a substitute for a visit to
your doctor. Talk with a health professional if you have problems with your kidney failure treatment.

The U.S. Government does not endorse or favor any specific commercial product or company. Trade, proprietary, or company names
appearing in this document are used only because they are considered necessary in the context of the information provided. If a
product is not mentioned, the omission does not mean or imply that
the product is unsatisfactory.

U.S. Department

of Health and

Human Services

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

National Kidney and Urologic Diseases

Information Clearinghouse

Pronunciation Guide
This pronunciation guide uses letters and letter combinations,
rather than phonetic symbols, to stand for the various sounds
in the English language.
Vowels
a
ah
air
ar
ay
aw
e
eh

cat, bat
father
pear, hair
park
say, came, weigh
saw, bought
bet, set
(used at the end of a syllable or
when standing alone)
examples:
meadow (MEH-doh)
enemy (EH-nuh-mee)

but
diet (DY-et)
ee
feet, neat
i
sit, igloo
ih (used at the end of a syllable or
when standing alone)
examples:
chicken (CHIH-ken)
miracle (MIHR-ih-kuhl)

but
picnic (PIK-nik)
ihr near, here
y
fire, idol
eye (used at the beginning of a syllable
or when standing alone)
examples:
iron (EYE-urn)
chloride (KLOR-eyed)

but
silent (SY-luhnt)
o
hot, cot
oh
coat, home

oo
or
oy
ou
u
uh
ur
yoo
yoor

food, rude
tore, soar, for
soil, boy
now, couch
put, foot
about, sum, china
hurt, alert
use
cure

Consonants
b
ch
d
f
g
h
j
k
l
m
n
ng
p
r
s
ss
sh
t
th
v
w
y
z
zh

bat, job
chop, itch
dig, bed
fur, tough, calf
grape, big
happy
joke, nudge
kite, car, tack
lip, sell
move, jam
not, knee
ring
play, hop
rain, fur
set, tips
bus, guess, fence
shy, fish
toy, boat
breath
vine, have
walk, where
yes
zip, jazz, has
measure

access (AK-sess): in dialysis, the point on the body where a

needle or catheter is inserted. See arteriovenous fistula,
graft, vascular access, and catheter.
acute (uh-KYOOT): refers to conditions that happen
suddenly and last a short time. Acute is the opposite of
chronic, or long lasting.
acute kidney injury (uh-KYOOT) (KID-nee) (IN-jur-ee):
sudden and temporary loss of kidney function. See chronic
kidney disease.
albumin (al-BYOO-min): the main protein in blood. Large
amounts of albumin in the urine may be a sign of chronic
kidney disease. See urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio.
albuminuria (al-BYOO-min-YOO-ree-uh): a condition in
which the urine has more than normal amounts of a protein called albumin. Albuminuria may be a sign of chronic
kidney disease. See urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio.
allograft (AL-oh-graft): an organ or tissue transplant from
one human to another.
amyloidosis (AM-ih-loy-DOH-siss): a condition in which a
proteinlike material builds up in one or more organs. This
material cannot be broken down and interferes with the
normal function of that organ. People who have been on
dialysis for several years often develop amyloidosis because
the artificial membranes used in dialysis fail to filter the
proteinlike material out of the blood.
anemia (uh-NEE-mee-uh): a condition in which the number
of red blood cells is less than normal, resulting in less
oxygen carried to the bodys cells. Anemia can cause
extreme fatigue. Anemia is common in people with chronic
kidney disease or those on dialysis. See erythropoietin.
1

antibiotic (AN-tee-by-OT-ik): a medicine that kills bacteria.

anuria (an-YOO-ree-uh): a condition in which the body stops
making urine.
arterial line (ar-TIHR-ee-uhl) (lyn): in hemodialysis, the
tubing that takes blood from the body to the dialyzer. See
hemodialysis under dialysis.
arteriovenous (AV) fistula (ar-TIHR-ee-oh-VEE-nuhss)
(FISS-tyoo-luh): surgical connection of an artery directly
to a vein, usually in the forearm, created in people who will
need hemodialysis. The AV
fistula causes the vein to
From
grow thicker, allowing the
hemodialysis
repeated needle insertions
machine
required for hemodialysis.

Development of the AV

fistula takes 4 to 6 months

after surgery before it can

be used for hemodialysis.

The AV fistula is the preferred method of access.

To
See hemodialysis under
hemodialysis
machine
dialysis.

Arteriovenous fistula

arteriovenous (AV) graft (ar-TIHR-ee-oh-VEE-nuhss) (graft):

in hemodialysis, surgical connection of an artery to a vein
using a soft, flexible tube, which can be used for repeated
needle sticks. See hemodialysis under dialysis.

Looped graft

Artery

Vein
Arteriovenous graft

artery (AR-tur-ee): a large blood vessel that carries blood with

oxygen from the heart to all parts of the body.
artificial kidney (AR-tuh-FIH-shuhl) (KID-nee): another name
for a dialyzer.
autoimmune disease (AW-toh-ih-MYOON) (dih-ZEEZ):
a disorder of the bodys immune system in which the
immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys body tissue
it believes to be foreign.

bacteria (bak-TIHR-ee-uh): tiny organisms that cause infection or disease.

biopsy (BY-op-see): a procedure in which a tiny piece of
tissue, such as from the kidney or bladder, is removed for
examination with a microscope.
bladder (BLAD-ur): the balloon-shaped organ inside the
pelvis that holds urine.
blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (bluhd) (yoo-REE-uh) (NY-trohjen): a waste product in the blood that comes from
the breakdown of protein. The kidneys filter blood to
remove urea. As kidney function decreases, the BUN level
increases.
BUN (BEE-YOO-EN): see blood urea nitrogen.

C
calcitriol (KAL-sih-TRY-ol): a hormone produced by the
kidneys to help the body absorb dietary calcium into the
blood and bones.
calcium (KAL-see-uhm): a mineral the body needs for strong
bones and teeth. Under certain conditions, calcium may
form stones in the kidney.
CAPD (SEE-AY-PEE-DEE): see continuous ambulatory
peritoneal dialysis under dialysis.

catheter (KATH-uh-tur): a tube inserted through the skin into

a blood vessel or cavity to draw out body fluid or infuse
fluid. In peritoneal dialysis, a catheter is used to infuse
dialysis solution into the abdominal cavity and drain it out
again. See peritoneal dialysis under dialysis.
Outer skin

Peritoneal cavity
Subcutaneous
cuff

Peritoneal
cuff

Outer skin

Peritoneal cavity
Subcutaneous
cuff

Peritoneal
cuff

Two double-cuff Tenckhoff chronic peritoneal catheters: standard (top), curled (bottom)

CCPD (SEE-SEE-PEE-DEE): see continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis under dialysis.

chronic (KRON-ik): refers to disorders that last a long time,
often years. Chronic kidney disease may develop over
many years and lead to end-stage renal disease. Chronic is
the opposite of acute, or brief.

chronic kidney disease (CKD) (KRON-ik) (KID-nee) (dihZEEZ): any condition that causes reduced kidney function
over a period of time. CKD is present when a patients
glomerular filtration rate remains below 60 milliliters per
minute for more than 3 months or when a patients urine
albumin-to-creatinine ratio is over 30 milligrams (mg) of
albumin for each gram (g) of creatinine (30 mg/g). CKD
may develop over many years and lead to end-stage renal
disease.
chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKDMBD) (KRON-ik) (KID-nee) (dih-ZEEZ) (MIN-ur-uhl)
(and) (BOHN) (diss-OR-dur): abnormal bone hormone
levels caused by the failure of the diseased kidneys to
maintain the proper levels of calcium and phosphorus in
the blood. CKD-MBD results in weak bones, a condition
known as renal osteodystrophy. CKD-MBD is a common
problem in people with kidney disease and affects almost
all patients receiving dialysis.
CKD (SEE-KAY-DEE): see chronic kidney disease.
CKD-MBD (SEE-KAY-DEE-EM-BEE-DEE): see chronic
kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder.
continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) (kon-TINyoo-uhss) (AM-byoo-luh-TOR-ee) (PAIR-ih-toh-NEE-uhl)
(dy-AL-ih-siss): see peritoneal dialysis under dialysis.
continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis (CCPD) (kon-TIN-yoouhss) (SY-kling) (PAIR-ih-toh-NEE-uhl) (dy-AL-ih-siss): see
peritoneal dialysis under dialysis.
creatinine (kree-AT-ih-neen): a waste product from protein in
the diet and from the normal breakdown of muscles of the
body. Creatinine is removed from blood by the kidneys;
as kidney disease progresses, the level of creatinine in the
blood increases.
6

creatinine clearance (kree-AT-ih-neen) (KLIHR-ants): a test

that measures how efficiently the kidneys remove creatinine from the blood. Low creatinine clearance indicates
impaired kidney function.
cross-matching: before a transplant, the donors blood is
tested with the recipients blood to see whether they are
compatible.

D
diabetes (DY-uh-BEE-teez): a condition characterized by high
blood glucose, resulting from the bodys inability to use
blood glucose for energy. In type 1 diabetes, the pancreas
no longer makes insulin, and therefore glucose cannot enter
the cells to be used for energy. In type 2 diabetes, either
the pancreas does not make enough insulin or the body is
unable to use insulin correctly.
dialysate (dy-AL-ih-SAYT): the part of a mixture that passes
through a semipermeable membrane. The wastes from
blood that pass into the dialysis solution become dialysate.
The term dialysate is sometimes used as a synonym for
dialysis solution.
dialysis (dy-AL-ih-siss): the process of filtering wastes from
the blood artificially. This job is normally done by the
kidneys. If the kidneys fail, the blood must be filtered artificially. The two major forms of dialysis are hemodialysis
and peritoneal dialysis.
hemodialysis (HEE-moh-dy-AL-ih-siss): the use of a
machine to filter wastes from the blood after the kidneys
have failed. The blood travels through tubes to a
dialyzer, which removes wastes and extra fluid. The
filtered blood then flows through another set of tubes
back into the body.
7

Dialyzer inflow
pressure monitor

Venous
pressure monitor

Heparin pump
(to prevent
clotting)
Air
detector
clamp

Blood
pump

Arterial
pressure
monitor

Blood removed
for filtering

Air trap and

detector
Filtered blood
returned to
body

Hemodialysis

peritoneal dialysis (PAIR-ih-toh-NEE-uhl) (dy-ALih-siss): filtering the blood by using the lining of the
abdominal cavity, or belly, as the filter. A cleansing liquid, called dialysis solution, is drained from a bag into
the abdomen. Fluid and wastes flow through the lining
of the abdominal cavity and remain trapped in the
dialysis solution. The solution is then drained from the
abdomen, removing the extra fluid and wastes from the
body. The two main types of peritoneal dialysis are continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and continuous
cycling peritoneal dialysis.

 continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD)

(kon-TIN-yoo-uhss) (AM-byoo-luh-TOR-ee) (PAIRih-toh-NEE-uhl) (dy-AL-ih-siss): a form of peritoneal
dialysis that does not need a machine. With CAPD,
the blood is always being filtered. The dialysis solution passes from a plastic bag through a catheter
and into the abdomen. The dialysis solution stays in
the abdomen with the catheter sealed. After several
hours, the person using CAPD drains the solution
back into a disposable bag. Then the person refills
the abdomen with fresh solution through the same
catheter to begin the filtering process again.
continuous cycling peritoneal dialysis (CCPD) (konTIN-yoo-uhss) (SY-kling) (PAIR-ih-toh-NEE-uhl) (dyAL-ih-siss): a form of peritoneal dialysis that uses a
machine. This machine automatically fills and drains
the dialysis solution from the abdomen. A typical
CCPD schedule involves three to five exchanges during the night while the person sleeps. During the day,
the person using CCPD performs one exchange with a
dwell time that lasts the entire day.
dialysis solution (dy-AL-ih-siss) (suh-LOO-shuhn): a
cleansing liquid used in the two major forms of
dialysishemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Dialysis
solution contains dextrose, a sugar, and other chemicals
similar to those in the body. Dextrose draws wastes and
extra fluid from the body into the dialysis solution. The
term dialysate is sometimes used as a synonym for dialysis
solution.

dialyzer (DY-uh-LY-zur):
an attachment to the
hemodialysis machine.
The dialyzer has two
sections separated by a
membrane. One section holds dialysis solution. The other holds
the patients blood. See
hemodialysis under
dialysis.

Blood from
patient
Dialysis
solution
to drain
Fibers
Jacket
Dialysis
solution from
hemodialysis
machine

diffusion (dih-FYOOzhuhn): the tendency

of molecules packed
Blood back
together in a small,
to patient
dense area to spread
out by crossing a semi- Structure of a typical hollow fiber dialyzer
permeable membrane
into a larger area with a
lower concentration of molecules. In dialysis, wastes and
excess electrolytes diffuse from the blood to the dialysis
solution.
donor (DOH-nur): a person who gives blood, tissue, or an
organ for transplantation. In kidney transplantation, the
donor may be someone who is still alive, often a relative, or
someone who has just died. See transplant.
dry weight (dry) (wayt): the ideal weight for a person after a
hemodialysis treatment. It is the weight at which a persons
blood pressure is normal and no swelling exists because all
excess fluid has been removed. See hemodialysis under
dialysis.
dwell time: in peritoneal dialysis, the amount of time dialysis
solution remains in the patients abdominal cavity between
exchanges. See peritoneal dialysis under dialysis.
10

E
edema (eh-DEE-muh): swelling caused by too much fluid in
the body.
electrolytes (ee-LEK-troh-lyts): chemicals in the body fluids
and dialysis solution, including sodium, potassium, magnesium, and chloride. The kidneys control the amount of
electrolytes in the body. When the kidneys fail, electrolytes
get out of balance, causing potentially serious health problems. Dialysis can restore the balance.
end-stage renal disease (ESRD) (END-STAYJ) (REE-nuhl)
(dih-ZEEZ): total and permanent kidney failure. When
the kidneys fail, the body retains fluid. Harmful wastes
build up. A person with ESRD needs treatment to replace
the work of the failed kidneys.
erythropoietin (uh-RITH-roh-POY-uh-tin): a hormone made
by the kidneys to help form red blood cells. Lack of this
hormone may lead to anemia.
ESRD (EE-ESS-AR-DEE): see end-stage renal disease.
exchange (eks-CHAYNJ): in peritoneal dialysis, the draining
of used dialysis solution from the abdomen, followed by
refilling with a fresh bag of solution. See peritoneal dialysis under dialysis.

F
fistula (FISS-tyoo-luh): see arteriovenous fistula.

11

G
GFR (JEE-EF-AR): see glomerular filtration rate.
glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (gloh-MAIR-yoo-lar) (filTRAY-shuhn) (rayt): the rate at which the kidneys filter
wastes and extra fluid from the blood, measured in milliliters per minute.
glomeruli (gloh-MAIR-yoo-ly): plural of glomerulus.
glomerulonephritis (gloh-MAIR-yoo-loh-neh-FRY-tiss):
inflammation of the glomeruli. Most often, it is caused
by an autoimmune disease, but it can also result from
infection.
glomerulosclerosis (gloh-MAIR-yoo-loh-skluh-ROH-suhss):
scarring of the glomeruli. It may result from diabetes
(diabetic glomerulosclerosis) or from deposits in parts of
the glomeruli (focal segmental glomerulosclerosis). The
most common signs of glomerulosclerosis are proteinuria
and chronic kidney disease.
glomerulus (gloh-MAIR-yooluhss): a tiny set of looping

blood vessels in the nephron

where blood is filtered in the

kidney.

Glomerulus

graft: in a transplant, the transplanted organ or tissue. See

also arteriovenous graft.

Tubule
Nephron
Glomerulus

12

H
hematocrit (hee-MAT-oh-krit): a measure that tells what portion of a blood sample consists of red blood cells. Low
hematocrit suggests anemia or massive blood loss.
hematuria (HEE-muh-TYOO-ree-uh): blood in the urine,
which can be a sign of a kidney stone, glomerulonephritis,
or other kidney problem.
hemodialysis (HEE-moh-dy-AL-ih-siss): see dialysis.
hormone (HOR-mohn): a natural chemical produced in one
part of the body and released into the blood to trigger or
regulate particular body functions. The kidney releases
three hormones: erythropoietin, renin, and calcitriol.
hyperkalemia (HY-pur-kuh-LEE-mee-uh): abnormally large
amounts of potassium in the blood, often as a result of
poor kidney function or inadequate dialysis.
hypertension (HY-pur-TEN-shuhn): a condition present
when blood flows through the blood vessels with a force
greater than normal. Also called high blood pressure.
Hypertension can strain the heart, damage blood vessels,
and increase the
risk of kidney
Amount of
Diameter of
Blood
problems, heart
blood in vessel
blood vessel
pressure
attack, stroke,
and death.
Normal
High
Normal

Normal
Normal

High
Normal

Narrow

High
Normal

Too much
Normal
Hypertension

13

immune system (ih-MYOON) (SISS-tuhm): the bodys system

for protecting itself from viruses and bacteria or any foreign substances.
immunosuppressant (IM-yoo-noh-soo-PRESS-uhnt): a drug
given to stop the natural responses of the bodys immune
system. Immunosuppressants are given to prevent organ
rejection in people who have received a transplant and to
people with certain autoimmune diseases, such as lupus.
interstitial nephritis (IN-tur-STISH-uhl) (neh-FRY-tiss):
inflammation of the kidney cells that are not part of the
fluid-collecting units. Interstitial nephritis is a condition
that can lead to acute renal failure or chronic kidney
disease.
intravenous pyelogram (IN-truh-VEE-nuhss) (PY-el-ohGRAM): an x ray of the urinary tract. A dye is injected
into a vein in the patients arm to make the kidneys, ureters, and bladder visible on the x ray and to show any
blockage in the urinary tract.

K
kidney (KID-nee): one of the two bean-shaped organs that
filter wastes from the blood. The kidneys are located near
the middle of the back, one on each side of the spine. They
create urine, which is delivered to the bladder through
tubes called ureters.
kidney failure (KID-nee) (FAYL-yoor): loss of kidney function. See end-stage renal disease, acute renal failure, and
chronic kidney disease.

14

kidney function (KID-nee) (FUHNK-shuhn): the amount of

work done by the kidneys. A decline in kidney function
means the kidneys are not filtering wastes and fluid from
the blood as well as they should. See glomerular filtration
rate.
Kt/V (KAY-TEE-OH-vur-VEE): a measurement of dialysis
dose. The measurement takes into account the efficiency of
the creatinine clearance, the treatment time, and the total
volume of urea in the body. Kt/V is also used in determining the adequacy of peritoneal dialysis. See urea reduction
ratio. See peritoneal dialysis under dialysis.

M
membrane (MEM-brayn): see semipermeable membrane.
membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) (MEMbruh-noh-proh-LIF-ur-uh-tiv) (gloh-MAIR-yoo-loh-nehFRY-tiss): a disease in which inflammation leads to
scarring in the glomeruli, causing proteinuria, hematuria,
and sometimes chronic kidney disease or end-stage renal
disease. MPGN occurs primarily in children and young
adults.
MPGN (EM-PEE-JEE-EN): see membranoproliferative
glomerulonephritis.

N
nephrectomy (neh-FREK-toh-mee): surgical removal of a
kidney.
nephrologist (neh-FROL-uh-jist): a doctor who treats people
who have kidney problems or related conditions, such as
hypertension.
15

nephrology (neh-FROL-uh-jee): a branch of medicine concerned with diseases of the kidneys.

nephron (NEF-ron): a tiny part of the kidneys. Each kidney
is made up of about 1 million nephrons, which are the
working units of the kidneys, removing wastes and extra
fluids from the blood.
nephrotic syndrome (nef-ROT-ik) (SIN-drohm): a collection of symptoms that indicate kidney damage. Symptoms
include high levels of protein in the urine, lack of protein
in the blood, and high blood cholesterol.
nuclear scan (NOO-klee-ur) (skan): a test of the structure,
blood flow, and function of the kidneys. The doctor injects
a mildly radioactive solution into a patients arm vein and
uses x rays to monitor its progress through the kidneys.

O
osmosis (oss-MOH-siss): movement of water across a
semipermeable membrane from a diluted area to a more
concentrated area.

P
peritoneal cavity (PAIR-ih-toh-NEE-uhl) (KAV-ih-tee): the
space inside the lower abdomen but outside the internal
organs.
peritoneal dialysis (PAIR-ih-toh-NEE-uhl) (dy-AL-ih-siss): see
dialysis.
peritoneum (PAIR-ih-toh-NEE-uhm): the semipermeable
membrane lining the peritoneal cavity.

16

peritonitis (PAIR-ih-toh-NY-tiss): inflammation of the peritoneum, a complication of peritoneal dialysis. See dialysis.
phosphorus (FOSS-for-uhss): a mineral found in many foods,
such as beans, nuts, milk, and meat. Too much phosphorus
in the blood pulls calcium from the bones.
potassium (poh-TASS-ee-uhm): a mineral and electrolyte
found in the body and in many foods.
proteinuria (proh-teen-YOO-ree-uh): a condition in which
the urine contains large amounts of protein, a sign that the
kidneys are damaged. See albumin and urine albumin-tocreatinine ratio.

R
renal (REE-nuhl): of or relating to the kidneys. A renal disease is a disease of the kidneys. Renal failure means the
kidneys are damaged.
renal osteodystrophy (REE-nuhl) (OSS-tee-oh-DISS-troh-fee):
weak bones caused by chronic kidney disease-mineral and
bone disorder. Renal osteodystrophy is a common problem
for people on dialysis who have high phosphate levels or
insufficient vitamin D supplementation.
renal pelvis (REE-nuhl) (PEL-viss): the basin into which the
urine formed by the kidneys is excreted before it travels to
the ureters and bladder.
renin (REE-nin): a hormone made by the kidneys that
helps regulate the volume of fluid in the body and blood
pressure.

17

semipermeable membrane (SEM-ee-PUR-mee-uh-buhl) (MEMbrayn): a thin sheet, or layer, of tissue that lines a body
cavity or separates two parts of the body. A semipermeable membrane can act as a filter, allowing some particles
to pass from one part of the body to another while keeping other particles in place. In hemodialysis, the artificial
membrane in a dialyzer acts as the semipermeable membrane filtering waste products from the blood. In peritoneal dialysis, the peritoneum acts as the semipermeable
membrane.

Blood compartment
Blood cells

Waste
products

Dialysis solution
compartment

Waste
products

Semipermeable
membrane

Semipermeable membrane

sodium (SOH-dee-uhm): a mineral and electrolyte found in

the body and in many foods.

18

thrill: a vibration or buzz that can be felt in an arteriovenous

fistula, an indication that blood is flowing through the
fistula.
transplant (TRANZ-plant): replacement of a diseased organ
with a healthy one. A kidney transplant may come from
a living donor, often a relative, or from someone who has
just died.

U
UACR (YOO-AY-SEE-AR): see urine albumin-to-creatinine
ratio.
UF (YOO-EF): see ultrafiltration.
ultrafiltration (UF) (UHL-truh-fil-TRAY-shuhn): in dialysis,
the process by which fluid from the blood passes through
a semipermeable membrane into a dialysis solution. In
peritoneal dialysis, UF is measured as the volume of solution drained at the end of an exchange minus the volume of
solution filled at the beginning of the exchange.
urea (yoo-REE-uh): a waste product found in the blood that
results from the normal breakdown of protein in the liver.
Urea is normally removed from the blood by the kidneys
and then excreted in the urine. Urea accumulates in the
body of people with kidney failure.
urea reduction ratio (URR) (yoo-REE-uh) (ree-DUHK-shuhn)
(RAY-shee-oh): a blood test that compares the amount of
blood urea nitrogen before and after dialysis to measure
the effectiveness of the dialysis dose.

19

uremia (yoo-REE-mee-uh): the illness associated with the

buildup of urea in the blood because the kidneys are
damaged. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, loss of
appetite, weakness, and mental confusion.
ureters (YOOR-uh-turz): tubes that carry urine from the
kidneys to the bladder.
urethra (yoo-REE-thruh): the tube that carries urine from the
bladder to the outside of the body.
urinalysis (YOOR-ih-NAL-ih-siss): a test of a urine sample
that can reveal many problems of the urinary tract and
other body systems. The sample may be observed for
color, cloudiness, and concentration; signs of drug use;
chemical composition, including glucose; the presence of
protein, blood cells, or germs; or other signs of disease.
urinary tract (YOOR-ih-NAIR-ee) (trakt): the system that
takes wastes from the blood and carries them out of the
body in the form of urine. The urinary tract includes the
kidneys, renal pelvises, ureters, bladder, and uretha.

Kidney
Kidneys

Renal
pelvis

Ureter

Ureters
Bladder
Bladder
Urinary tract

20

Urethra

urinate (YOOR-ih-nayt): to release urine from the bladder to

the outside of the body.
urine (YOOR-in): liquid waste product filtered from the
blood by the kidneys, stored in the bladder, and expelled
from the body through the urethra by the act of urinating.
See urinate.
urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) (YOOR-in)
(al-BYOO-min) (too) (kree-AT-ih-neen) (RAY-shee-oh):
a measurement that compares the amount of albumin with
the amount of creatinine in a urine sample. A patient has
chronic kidney disease if the UACR is over 30 milligrams
(mg) of albumin for each gram (g) of creatinine (30 mg/g).
URR (YOO-AR-AR): see urea reduction ratio.

V
vascular access (VASS-kyoo-lur) (AK-sess): a general term to
describe where blood is removed from and returned to the
body during hemodialysis. A vascular access may be an
arteriovenous fistula, an arteriovenous graft, or a catheter.
See hemodialysis under dialysis.
vein (vayn): a blood vessel that carries blood to the heart.
venous line (VEE-nuhss) (lyn): in hemodialysis, tubing that
carries blood from the dialyzer back to the body. See
hemodialysis under dialysis.

21

Acknowledgments
Publications produced by the Clearinghouse are carefully
reviewed by both NIDDK scientists and outside experts. This
publication was reviewed by Beth Ulrich, Ed.D., R.N., Editor,
Nephrology Nursing Journal.

About the Kidney Failure Series

The NIDDK Kidney Failure Series includes booklets and fact
sheets that can help you learn more about treatment methods
for kidney failure, complications of dialysis, financial help for
the treatment of kidney failure, and eating right on hemodialysis. For free single printed copies of this series, please contact the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information
Clearinghouse.

National Kidney Disease Education Program

3 Kidney Information Way
Bethesda, MD 20892
Phone: 18664KIDNEY (18664543639)
TTY: 18665691162
Fax: 3014028182
Email: nkdep@info.niddk.nih.gov
Internet: www.nkdep.nih.gov
The National Kidney Disease Education Program (NKDEP) is
an initiative of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive
and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services. The NKDEP
aims to raise awareness of the seriousness of kidney disease,
the importance of testing those at high risk, and the availability of treatment to prevent or slow kidney disease.
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National Kidney and Urologic Diseases

Information Clearinghouse
3 Information Way
Bethesda, MD 208923580
Phone: 18008915390
TTY: 18665691162
Fax: 7037384929
Email: nkudic@info.niddk.nih.gov
Internet: www.kidney.niddk.nih.gov
The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information
Clearinghouse (NKUDIC) is a service of the National Institute of
Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The NIDDK
is part of the National Institutes of Health of the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services. Established in 1987, the Clearinghouse
provides information about diseases of the kidneys and urologic system to people with kidney and urologic disorders and to their families, health care professionals, and the public. The NKUDIC answers
inquiries, develops and distributes publications, and works closely
with professional and patient organizations and Government agencies to coordinate resources about kidney and urologic diseases.

This publication is not copyrighted. The Clearinghouse encourages users of this publication to duplicate and distribute as many
copies as desired.
This publication is available at www.kidney.niddk.nih.gov.

This publication may contain information about medications.

When prepared, this publication included the most current information available. For updates or for questions about any medications,

contact the U.S. Food and Drug Administration toll-free at 1888

INFOFDA (18884636332) or visit www.fda.gov. Consult your

health care provider for more information.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

National Institutes of Health

NIH Publication No. 114894

December 2010

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The NIDDK prints on recycled paper with bio-based

ink.